Heart On A Chain
by Thanatos Angelos Girl
Summary: Father's Day themed oneshot for the Father's Day Competition by ChatterChick. John Lupin has his son's heart and one Father's Day he tests the strength of his son, Remus Lupin's little heart. "Daddy you have my heart, so please don't break it!"


**Heart On A Chain**

**By: Thanatos Angelos Girl**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Inspired by the Father's Day competition by ChatterChick. Due by June 19th. **

**_Remus POV_**

I lived, for as long as I could remember, as a wolf. Well, actually it was only part of the time. I turned into a wolf whenever the full moon came out and it wasn't on a schedule like Mommy likes things to be. It's once a month but it always happens on a different date, and a different day. I don't worry about it much though... Maybe when I'm older I might but right now all that I know is that the change hurts and I have to be isolated. No one tells me what happens after that and I don't remember those hours so well. I am really tired after being a little wolf.

I think I remember a time without being a wolf but it seems like it's just a story like the ones Mommy reads me because I can't read yet. It doesn't matter anyway though.

I slowly crawled down my windowsill that showed the pretty night sky and walked silently, tiptoeing across the room towards my bed. I stuck my hand out and fished for the small package I had made for Daddy.

Tomorrow is Father's Day and I can't wait to give Daddy my present. I love Daddy so much. I just want to make him happy. I don't want him to be sad.

However, he seems very sad nowadays. I don't know why. I worry about him very much. Daddy's okay right? He seems... What's the word Mommy uses? Oh! Agitated. That's it. I don't know what that means but just the sound of that word fits Daddy.

I frowned as I held the package in my hands. Staring at the careful wrapping Mommy helped me do and the silver paper covering the box with the present. I had to be careful. It might fall and everything would fall out and the wrapping would be destroyed. I would protect it all night if I had to! This box was Daddy's gift and therefore one of the most important things.

That reminds me of the box that night, a long time ago, a very important thing.

_"I am sorry! I don't have the money!" Daddy cried out as he waves his hands in the air._

_He looked upset and scared, things that if I felt them he always helped me through them._

_"Listen it isn't my problem! You promised! Give me what I asked or I will take something of equal value." A hiss filled the room and I didn't like it. Was Daddy okay? Who was this meanie? Daddy told me, bullies aren't nice and you have to learn to deal with them because they can pop into your life at any time. Was he a bully?_

_I rubbed my eyes trying to get the sleep out of my eyes and I sneaked down a few steps on the staircase. That way I could see them but they couldn't see me._

_I stared at the man downstairs. He seemed like he was Daddy's age, maybe older. He also seemed like he was a wild animal, but he was a human so he couldn't be right?_

_The man turned his head towards me and smiled. He had pointed, sharp, and scary teeth._

_"It appears that we have a little audience. Come here boy." The man called out._

_"Remus, don't come near us!" Daddy yelled but I was already down the stairs. I had a feeling this man was dangerous and I didn't want him hurting Daddy..._

_"Please this is all I have don't hurt him!" Daddy cried out giving him a small treasure chest box. It was the small box where we kept our money. Daddy says it's very important. So why is he giving it to him and what's going on?_

_The man smiled and I was frozen still on the steps of the stairs._

_"Sorry kid but this is what has to be done." The man grinned wider and I felt a chill down my spine._

Daddy was yelling and I was so frightened. I tried to run but it didn't work and he bit my arm making the blood flow and the wolf emerge. Daddy started being sad that day too. I was three when it happened. I am five now.

I remember the first change but not what happened afterwards. It was scary and hurt worse than the other changes after it.

Come to think of it, the "treatments" came around that time. I heard Mommy and Daddy call them that once. They were either sticky stuff like medicine that they put on a huge bite that was on my arm or it was potion drinking. They seemed to vary every day. When my parents did this they always said they were trying to get rid of the scary wolf in me.

Is the wolf in me scary? Is he really bad or is he just blamed? I wonder if I'll remember being a wolf soon. Then I'll know if he is nice or mean.

I felt a yawn build in my body and soon it escaped and spread to the corners of the room. I guess I needed to go to bed.

**-page break-**

I didn't sleep that well last night, I wanted to give Daddy my present last night and I had to restrain myself.

I sneaked down the stairs that morning after waking up and I held the present carefully in my hands as I walked to the kitchen. I could hear Daddy and Mommy in the room but I couldn't hear what they were saying.

_**John Lupin POV**_

"Listen we have to try again! Maggie, please! We have to, for our son." I couldn't believe Maggie wanted to quit our quest.

How could she want to give up? This was our son we were talking about.

"All we have done has failed and we have been doing this for two years. I am just saying maybe we should-"

"Absolutely not, we have to try again. We can't let Remus get comfortable with being a werewolf. He's a freak of nature and he will never be a good wizard! He won't even be able to go to Hogwarts. We have to do something! I don't want him to live his life on the sidelines because of the mistake I made! I am a horrible father!" I could feel the tears well up in my eyes.

It was all my fault and now my boy would suffer.

"I am the reason you're sad Daddy?" A tiny sad little voice questioned.

"Remus!" I cried out staring at my little son's sad eyes and his tears falling down his eyes. A little box in silver paper was wrapped around the box. He was still in his pajamas from the night before.

"Am I? Is that why I can't see everyone? I'm a freak? Am I a bad person then?" He asked. He set the present down on the ground and ran.

"Remus!" I yelled. I tried to run after him but my bad leg protested. I had had it ever since that night when Greyback turned Remus into a werewolf. I had gotten between the two and let's just say it wasn't the smartest thing to do.

"I'll get him John. He might need to talk to me first." She said looking sadly at the box. "I know you aren't good at comforting people."

I opened my mouth to protest before she shushed me again.

"Here open this. This will help you." She said handing the box Remus left on the threshold.

"Maggie-"

"Just do it John." Those words left her lips and she ran in the direction Remus had left in.

I sighed and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. I studied the box in my hands before I attempted to look in it. What had Remus got me?

I quickly and easily ripped the wrapping paper away and I was left with a cardboard box. I slowly opened the box and was staring at a little glass figure shaped as a heart which was attached to a chain and there was a small folded piece of paper.

In writing that obviously revealed the age of the writer were the words:

_It isn't much but it's my heart._

_You can wear it on your sleeve and show everyone I love you,_

_Or it could be something that never leaves its one place._

_It doesn't matter Daddy because you have it and I love you very much._

_Happy Father's Day and I hope you smile very soon._

_You have my heart and you are very important._

_Daddy, don't break it! I love you!_

_-Remus_

I felt my guilt drench my heart and I flinched at the last words on the paper. I broke his little metaphorical little heart and it wasn't just anyone or any simple day either...It was Father's Day and he was my only child, my son!

I stood up, flinching at the pain from my bad leg; I stared with a glare at the cane in the corner of the room as I put the heart chain in my pocket. I hated that cane, it represented my weakness: I couldn't walk as well as before and it hurt to go upstairs. Luckily, Maggie's and my room was on the first floor.

I also didn't like it because it made me feel older like I was my father using a thin wooden stick to walk, to do simple things like checking up on his son. I didn't want to be a cripple and I had stated that very clearly, without a doubt but I needed to talk to Remus.

I slowly walked over to the wretched and offensive item before grabbing it and walking towards the stairs.

_Now how was I going to get up the stairs?_

_**Remus POV**_

I wiped the last of the tears away. Mommy helped me through it all. She explained that Daddy was only voicing out what people might think because I could change into a wolf. She also explained how Daddy loves me and never meant to hurt me.

I nodded and listened very carefully but despite that I felt sad and hurt. Daddy still said those words and if he knew what they might say then surely he thought it once too?

_He's a freak of nature!_

I flinched with those words playing in my head. Why did Daddy think that? Why did I have to be a "werewolf"? I never used that word before. Werewolf. I had heard about them before. They were bad people that changed into a wolf and hurt people. Did I hurt people? Was I a bad person?

Mommy saw the look on my face and she asked me what was wrong. How do I ask her these questions?

I sighed and told her word for word my thoughts from earlier.

"Remus! You shouldn't think this! You are not a bad person! You are the sweetest boy I have ever met!" She cried out.

I heard a thud suddenly and turned towards the direction it was coming from, my door, and I felt my eyes widen.

_Daddy?_

"John! What are you doing with the cane?" Mommy asked shocked.

I didn't blame her. I was too. Daddy hated that cane so why was he using it now?

"What does it look like?" Daddy asked and walked into the room and sat down on the bed beside me.

I lowered my eyes to the floor. Why was Daddy here?

"Listen, Remus, I am very sorry for the words I said and I want to apologize for my words and I want you to know that you are my son and I love you no matter what happens. I love you Remus. And that's why I was walking with this stupid cane." He added and he shifted his weight in the bed.

I felt Daddy's arms around me and my tears started to form again.

"I love you Daddy, so much. Happy Father's Day." I murmured into his chest.

"I love you too Remus. Thank you and I promise not to break this little heart anymore." He said and pulled away. He grabbed the heart on the silver chain I gave him and held it in front of me.

"Now I don't know whether you want me to have it because I have cracked it a little and this is an important thing-"

"Daddy it's not cracked. It's whole. I want you to have it. I gave it to you Daddy so keep it." I told him looking at the heart.

"Thank you." He smiled and we hugged again.

"Come on boys, let's eat breakfast now." Mommy said and Daddy and I followed her all the way downstairs.

**R and R!**


End file.
